Held annually on October 12th to 20th, the Bone and Joint Action Week focuses on bone related disorders like pediatric conditions, back pain, spinal deformity, arthritis, trauma, osteoporosis. All related activities have been designed to create more awareness about these diseases. Affecting a large segment of the population, statistics show: As per the Burden of Musculoskeletal Conditions in the U.S., 54% of the adult population over the age of 18 years are affected by bone and joint ailments. 33% of people over the age of 18 years needed medical care for musculoskeletal diseases in the past decade. Millions of people...
What Are The Causes Of Mental Illnesses And Disorders?
Mental illnesses are brain disorders or impairments. They affect the cognitive functioning and logical thinking capacities of the brain. Mental illnesses span the range of depression to schizophrenia. This includes addiction, bi-polar disorder, mania, bulimia, anorexia and various addictions apart from so many more. As per the 2019 statistics, nearly 46% of the adults in the US will be afflicted by a mental ailment in their life. 5% of adults experience a mental illness in a year and that translates to over 43 million people in any given year. The unfortunate part is only 41% of people receive professional services...
What You Should Know About Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer, a highly treatable form of cancer, is common in men as they age. It begins in the prostate gland, a walnut-sized gland that is located between the penis and bladder. Today, approximately one in nine men will receive a positive diagnosis of prostate cancer at some time in their lives but only one in 41 will die as a result of it. Early diagnosis and treatment are the keys. The prostate is responsible for some important functions: Producing seminal fluid Secreting PSA (prostate specific antigen) which enables semen to remain in a liquid form Assisting with the control...
What is Sepsis and the Dangerous Signs That You Need to Be Aware Of
Sepsis is the human body’s overactive response to an infection, which can overwhelm the system and lead to life-threatening consequences such as organ failure, tissue damage and even death. In sepsis, chemicals are released into the bloodstream which then go on to trigger an inflammatory response in the rest of the body. These responses can then go on to damage organs and can even result in death. Populations that Sepsis Most Commonly Affects Although sepsis can happen to anyone, it most commonly affects: Older adult populations Pregnant women Infants and children under one year of age People who suffer chronic...
What Symptoms of Blood Cancer Should You Be Concerned With
During September, we bring awareness to blood cancer, what it is and how it can be detected and combatted. How Prevalent is Blood Cancer? Today, we know that blood cancers account for nearly 10% of all new cancer cases in the United States. More than 1.2 million people are either living with or are in remission from blood cancers today. Types of Blood Cancer There are three types of blood cancers: Leukemia is a cancer that begins in the blood and bone marrow. There are multiple classifications and types of leukemia. Lymphoma is further broken down in Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin...
National Cholesterol Month: What Are Your Numbers Saying About Your Risk for Disease?
September is National Cholesterol Education Awareness Month. And while most of us have heard of cholesterol and have some vague notion that it is bad, some of us have little understanding of what it is, how it works and that cholesterol isn’t necessarily all bad. What is Cholesterol? Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is found in every cell of the body. In fact, your body NEEDS some amount of cholesterol in order to make important hormones, to digest foods and to make Vitamin D. But having too much cholesterol — and the wrong type — can put us at...
Professional Ultrasounds Ensure the Health and Safety of Your Baby
So is it a sonogram or an ultrasound? Often used interchangeably, one is the process, and the other is the product. An ultrasound is the procedure that uses sound waves to create images of the baby and uterus during pregnancy. The sonogram is the actual image that is created by the ultrasound. Many of us are familiar with ultrasounds as they apply to pregnancy. They allow a physician to monitor both baby in utero and mother to ensure that all is well during gestation. As an important prenatal test, it utilizes sound waves to create an image of the baby...
What is Psoriatic Arthritis and How is it Diagnosed?
Psoriatic arthritis, otherwise known as PsA, is an inflammatory disease that affects joints and the connective tissues of tendons and ligaments. Although PsA affects nearly 30% of people with psoriasis today, it can also affect some who don’t even have psoriasis. Some people develop it after an injury. Psoriatic arthritis can cause pain, swelling and fatigue in those who suffer from it. Early Diagnosis Early diagnosis and treatment are important. Without treatment, many sufferers can go on to experience permanent joint damage that can affect long-term function and overall quality of life. PsA can develop slowly or quickly depending on...
What Are Fungal Diseases and How Are They Treated?
There are millions of types of fungi living in the environment, and they live on surfaces everywhere. Today, fungal diseases are very common and can affect anyone. Fortunately, there are a limited amount of fungi that can cause sickness in people. These can take the form in: Allergies Asthma Skin or nail infections and rashes Lung infections Infections in the bloodstream Meningitis Some fungi move through the air as spores that you may inhale. Others can merely land on a surface or your body. Consequently, fungal infections often begin on the skin or may even begin in the lungs. When...
The Essential Benefits of Breastfeeding for Both Baby and Mother
Over the years, we’ve seen trends come and go with regards to breastfeeding. Changing Popularity of Formula Feeding Vs. Breastfeeding Over the Years In the 1950s, commercial baby formula became available. Like all things new and convenient for the average mother during that time and propelled by strong marketing campaigns and women joining the workforce, formula was embraced as the new way to feed infants which eventually pushed breastfeeding out of favor. But the 1980s brought new information to light about the benefits of a mother’s natural milk and during subsequent years, there have been many fluctuations in the popularity...